It seems like the wonders of nail polish speak volumes in any language. Shannon Byrd, a nail tech at Modern Beauty Shop in Albemarle, N.C., discovered this when she accompanied a church group on a trip to a Peruvian orphanage, the New Life Children’s Home. “Our main objective was to help move a Christian School to its new location, to help out at the orphanage, to take the children gifts and supplies, and to hand out Spanish Bibles,” says Byrd. “I told all of my clients about what I had planned and they were all so supportive. A lot of them even gave me donations to help fund the trip and items to take to the orphanage. With the money I received, I was able to purchase extra nail polish to give to the girls, along with toboggan hats, bouncy balls, hair bows, and candy for all the children.

“We were all challenged to go outside of our comfort zone and connect with the Peruvians.” Knowing just a few words of Spanish proved to be a barrier at first, but then Byrd broke out the polish. “By taking the time to polish the girls’ nails and make them feel special, we found a language understood by all. Fashion and beauty are a language all their own as is art, so I expressed my art form with nail polish! It proved to be a very rewarding trip,” she says.